Chester County firefighters reflect on Arizona tragedy

This aerial photo shows Yarnell, Ariz. on Wednesday, July 3, 2013, in the aftermath of the Yarnell Hill Fire that claimed the lives of 19 members of an elite firefighting crew on Sunday. The wildfire has burned structures and forced evacuations as hundreds of firefighters work to contain the blaze. (AP Photo/Tom Tingle)

Days after the devastating loss of 19 firefighters in Arizona on Sunday, Chester County firefighters said their thoughts remained with the families affected by the tragedy.

“It’s very sad for the victims and their families,” said Steve Melton, the chief of Kennett Fire Co. No. 1. “I believe they were out there doing their best and something turned on them and they just didn’t make it. It’s a very sad thing.”

The firefighters were part of the Prescott Fire Department’s Granite Mountain Hotshots, a team sent to fight the Yarnell Hill Fire. The investigation as to what exactly went wrong is ongoing, but according to reports, it is known that the team deployed their fire-resistant shelters they carried as a last-ditch survival tool.

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Weather reports from that day showed a dramatic change in the wind during the time of the firefighters’ deaths, leading most to believe that the shifting winds changed the route of the fire, trapping the firefighters.

“It’s hard to talk about because they don’t have all the details yet,” Melton said.

Firefighters in Chester County expressed sadness for the loss, with most recognizing the hard work of the crews out west.

“It’s awful and so unfortunate for those fellas out there,” said Tony Talamonti, former president of Kennett Fire Company. “I have friends in the Colorado area who fight those kinds of fires and when they go out they just don’t know what exactly they’re facing.”

Talamonti also commented on the differences between most fires fought in Chester County versus the wildfires, and how these differences change the dynamic between the blaze and those fighting it.

“It’s bad enough to fight fires like the ones we usually fight around here,” Talamonti said. “With fires out west, you just never know. It’s just unbelievable how fast those things move.”

Sunday’s disaster in Arizona is the nation’s highest death toll among firefighters from a wildfire in the past 80 years.

“That was a really horrible thing to happen to those men,” Talamonti said. “We’re praying for them and their families.”

Neil Vaughn, vice-president of the Chester County Fire Chiefs Association, expressed the association’s interest in getting involved and helping those affected by the loss in Arizona. Vaughn said that he’s heard some local organizations want to extend a helping hand to those in Arizona, and said in coming weeks the association will likely be getting more involved.

“It’s a tragedy that cannot be expressed in words,” Vaughn said. “We talked at the Malvern fire station, where I’m the chief, and that’s been the sentiment. You can’t express it with words, to lose 19 at once. Our heart certainly goes out to them, especially to the families. A lot of them were just young kids.”

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family of the victims,” Vaughn added solemnly.